


Everybody Needs Good Neighbours

by teatales



Series: 9, 7, 5, 3. You can't take Steve away from me. [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Agender Character, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Amputee Bucky Barnes, Anxiety Attacks, Asthma, Blind Character, Canon Disabled Character, Canon Disabled Charcters, Canon Divergence, Canon Queer Character, Chronic Illness, Gen, Physical Disability, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Service Dogs, blind!steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-10-04
Packaged: 2018-04-24 17:18:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4928374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teatales/pseuds/teatales
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blind!Steve cause reasons. Most of those reasons are Auden, which are the best reasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everybody Needs Good Neighbours

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to Auden and Katie. Hi Katie, you don't know me at all. I just stalk Auden's twitter a lot. 
> 
> Yes, the title is from the "Neighbours" theme song. I regret nothing. (Neighbours is an Australia television drama/show thing btw). 
> 
> I did a bunch of research for this as I'm neither visually impaired or blind myself. If you are and I've gotten something wrong or offended you please let me know. 
> 
> Stories belong to their readers and if you have any other headcanons about the characters in this fic regarding illness, disability, orientation, identity, race etc. as the author I can confirm they are 100% true.*
> 
> Some stuff will be cleared up at the in the end notes. If you need anything else please feel free to comment! 
> 
> Hope you are having a good day!
> 
> *unless they hurt anyone else

The alarm woke Steve with a start. He groped around his side table and finally found the off button before it set off a migraine. His hand flopped back to his side, and he was greeted with a wet lick and a bark. 

“Mornin, James,” grumbled Steve. He got another bark in reply. 

“Come on, let’s get you fed, yeah?” he asked as he sat up, and the rushed click of toenails against tiles announced James’ movement. 

Steve sat on the edge of his bed and stretched a bit, but that didn’t alleviate the pain in his back. Sighing, he got up to feed James. As he walked he stuck close to the walls, too sleepy to bother using his cane. The cold tile under his bare feet indicated that he had reached the kitchen, as did James’ pitiful whining. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re starving,” Steve muttered as he found the bag of dog food and knelt to find James’ bowl which was stuck to the floor so he could find it easily. He poured the food carefully, feeling with his hand how far the food was from the top. When it was full he quickly moved out of the way. No one was safe between James and food. 

Steve moved around to grab a slice of bread and a glass to fill with water. He ate the bread then took his medication. He never really was hungry in the morning and he knew it wasn’t the healthiest breakfast, but his medication was ‘with food’. So sue me, he thought. 

By the sound of it James had finished up his breakfast, too. “Sit, James. I’ll just go get dressed.” With that, Steve felt his way back to his room. He had quickly learnt it was much easier to shower after a walk with James, because you never no what mischief he might get into. The cool tile transitioned to the soft carpet of his bedroom and he made his way over to the dresser to pick what to wear. It was already getting colder even thought Fall had just begun. He’d risk it in a t-shirt and jeans for now. He enjoyed the breeze, although it wasn't the best for his lungs. Most of his clothes were simple and in neutral colors, he wasn’t too fussed on fashion. Sam often helped him when he went shopping. 

He had left his sneakers by the front door and Steve navigated around his sparse furniture to put them on when there was a knock at the door. “It’s only me, Steve,” the voice of his landlord came muffled through the door before he had the chance to call for James. 

Steve felt around for the lock which he then unlocked and pulled open. 

“Mornin’, Peg. What brings you here?” began Steve. 

“Good morning, Steve. I just wanted to let you know you have a new neighbour across the hall. Bucky Barnes. They’re moving in sometime today and I didn’t want them to startle you,” explained Peggy, loud and clear. It had only taken once for Steve to ask her to speak up and she always made sure that he could hear her. 

“Thanks, Peg. I was wondering if you might—” they were interrupted by a whining James. Steve sighed. “Never mind, I have to make sure this one gets some exercise. Leash, James,” Steve called. They said a brief goodbye. 

Peggy was the best landlord Steve had ever had. His previous landlord, Mr. Whedon, always kicked up a fuss about letting James stay. And getting freaked out about Steve’s eyes. What a jerk. Peggy, on the other hand, was…very understanding about it, all of it. 

James brought him back to the present by prodding his nose repeatedly into Steve’s thigh. “Let’s get going, huh? Drop it, James,” commanded Steve and the leash was dropped into his hands. He found the clip and attached it to James’ collar, giving him a pat. Steve finally got around to putting on his shoes and glasses and getting his keys. 

“Go through, James. Let’s go,” Steve instructed as he turned around and locked the door. He was following James down the hall when his dog halted. 

“What?,” Steve asked, stepping forward to check on his dog when he bumped into someone. 

He stumbled backward and was about to give a command when he felt the cold press of something decidedly not human against his arm, steadying him. 

"Oh shit sorry. I should've warned you. Sorry," someone muttered. 

“What? Who are you? What are you doing? How come I didn’t hear anything? Come, James,” rushed Steve, worried about their safety. His breathing was starting to accelerate. He couldn’t deal with a panic attack right now. 

“Oh shit. I’m Bucky. Bucky Barnes. I think I’m your new neighbour. I’m so sorry, I didn’t even realise I was…being sneaky. Sorry,” they apologized, sounding concerned and slightly louder. 

“Well. I guess. No harm no foul? Thanks for speaking louder. What was that when you touched me? Are you wearing gloves or something?,” Steve breathed out in one go. His chest was beginning to feel tight. 

"My prosthetic,” Bucky stated. “Are you…okay? Can I call someone for you?”

“No! I’m…fine,” wheezed Steve. “Inhaler, James,” Steve felt James’ nose in his pocket and then prodding his hand. “Drop,” Steve shook his inhaler and went through the motions of breathing in the puffs. His chest finally loosened and he put the inhaler back into his pocket. “Good boy.”

“The…prosthetic thing. That makes sense. I just….wasn’t expecting it,” Steve explained, embarrassed. 

Bucky snorted. "That makes two of us.”

James whined, frustrated by the humans’ conversation and lack of walking. 

"Sorry, James. I gotta go, Bucky, I'll see you around sometime, yeah?" Steve made to move off. 

"Your dogs name is James....?" Now was not the time to have this conversation. They had freaked Steve out enough already for one day. "Wait, Steve, can I come?"

"Can you..?"

"Can I come. On a walk with you and James. Shit! That probably sounded creepy. You don't even know me,” spluttered Bucky. 

"I'll add to the creepiness. Let me feel your face.” Steve smirked. He - and a lot of other blind people for that matter - didn't actually do this. It didn't help him "imagine" what anyone looked like at all. But Bucky didn't know that and Steve wanted to give them a chance to catch their breath, and relieve the tension that had built up between them. If this was done by messing with Bucky, well, who was going to begrudge him? Steve reached out the hand not holding James back from running out the door. 

Silence fell between the two humans as Steve felt Bucky’s face. 

"All right, you feel about 90% trustworthy, I’ll risk the 10%. You may accompany James and I on our walk," Steve said mock seriously. James started pulling on his leash when he heard walk. “Stay on my left and don’t distract James,” he warned, actually serious. 

“Of course! Awesome! Let me buy you coffee to make up for the delay?” Bucky implored. 

"Make that coffee a hot chocolate and it's a date.” Shit! Did he really say that? Steve’s face grew warm with embarrassment.

"Deal," Bucky agreed.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. James is a golden retriever. His fur is very soft. 
> 
> 2\. Steve takes medication for a bunch of things. More on his chronic illness here: http://thequeerwithoutfear.tumblr.com/post/125917809335/chronically-ill-steve-rogers
> 
> 3\. Steve was, probably, going to ask Peggy on a date when James interrupted. 
> 
> 4\. Steve wouldn't have heard Bucky's approach because a) was probably kicking himself for not asking Peg out and thus was distracted b) Bucky was using their super sniper sneaky skills (even if they were unaware) c) Steve is hard-of-hearing. 
> 
> 5\. Steve has an anxiety/asthma attack combination during his and Bucky's conversation. 
> 
> 6\. Bucky is agender with they/them pronouns. 
> 
> ""Your dogs name is James....?" Now was not the time to have this conversation. They had freaked Steve out enough already for one day." 
> 
> These lines are regarding how Steve's dog has Bucky's deadname and it worries them a bit as does the probable future gender identity discussion with Steve. Surprise! Steve is actually a great listener and is super understanding for anyone worried about Buck. 
> 
> 7\. Bucky is an amputee and does have a prosthetic. 
> 
> The rest is up to you. Like I said in the first notes, the rest of the details are yours for the making. Does Steve do art? Is Bucky a mechanic? What's James favourite food? Is Steve asexual? All this (and much more) are #confirmed by me. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
